Tires of larger sizes are commonly mounted on split rims to facilitate the mounting, repair, and replacement of the tire. Split rims have an annular bead seat on which the inner bead of the tire is seated, a bead seat ring on which the tire's outer bead is mounted, inner and outer flange rings surround the bead seat and bead seat ring against which the inner and outer beads of the tire are seated, and O-ring surrounding the bead seat toward the outer end of the latter and confined between the bead seat and bead seat ring to keep air from escaping through the gap between the just-named components, and a locking ring surrounding the outer end of the bead seat.
In the course of repairing or replacing a tire mounted on a split rim of the character just described, those bonds of the mounted tire with the bead seat ring and the outer flange ring are broken. Then the outer bead, outer flange ring, and bead seat ring are translated toward the inner end of the rim, allowing the locking ring to be removed. This is followed by removal of the bead seat ring and the tire, if it is to be replaced or the repaired off the rim.
Apparatus for breading the bead so that a tire can be removed from a split rim is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,500,891 issued 17 Mar. 1970 to Collins for HEAVY EQUIPMENT TIRE REPAIR DEVICE; 3,850,221 issued 26 Nov. 1974 to Zrostlik et al. for TIRE CHANGING TOOL; AND 3,971,426 issued 27 Jul. 1976 West et al. for APPARATUS FOR CHANGING GIANT TIRES IN THE FIELD.
In the course of repairing or replacing the tire the bead seat ring will typically be telescoped over the bead seat ring will typically be telescoped over the bead seat to the extent that the O-ring between these two components is exposed. This allows the O-ring to be inspected and replaced, if necessary. However, this leaves the bead seat ring in a position in which it can interfere with the inflation of a repaired or replacement tire. For example, it can hinder the movement of the tire's outer bead toward the outer end of the rim as air is pumped into the tire by catching on the O-ring.